Poultry News

Dutch Consumers Choosing Chicken Thigh Meat More Often

NETHERLANDS - The Dutch love to eat chicken breast meat, but they are increasingly shifting to consuming more brown meat, according to the Dutch Association of Chicken Producing Companies, NEPLUVI.

Some 65 per cent of the chicken eaten in the Netherlands is breast meat, but the balance is shifting.

NEPLUVI says the Dutch are increasingly opting for alternatives to the familiar, such as chicken thigh meat.

The current distribution of chicken eaten in the country means that many chicken parts such as thighs, wings and organ meats are exported. At the same time, extra chicken breast fillets have to be imported, particularly from countries such as Brazil and Thailand. This chicken is mainly used for processed products.

NEPLUVI said businesses in the broiler sector face daily challenges of trying to get value from all parts of the chicken.

The organisation said the Dutch broiler industry and supermarkets welcome and encourage this movement towards eating more brown meat, as a positive move to increase sustainability in the sector.